In electrical precipitators, suspended dust particles or dispersed fluids are removed from a gas stream by first charging the particles and then driving them under the influence of an electrical field to collecting electrodes which may be at ground or another suitable potential with respect to the discharge electrode.
Industrial electrostatic precipitators are used extensively for the removal of solid particles such as fly ash, mineral dust, cement dust, etc., from the gases before they are discharged to the atmosphere in order to protect the surroundings against dust which often is considered a serious nuisance.
It is well known to use discharge electrodes in electrostatic precipitators in the form of wires, rods, bars, tubes, or the like, mounted in rows in a frame between platelike collecting electrodes. However, such supporting frames are subject to lateral vibrations resulting from distortions in the frames during the treatment of hot gases.
Furthermore, tubular discharge electrodes having discharge arms divided into pointed discharge tips are well known. Such discharge electrodes are mechanically stable and can advantageously be used in substantially high electrostatic precipitators without encountering lateral vibrations. However, due to the distribution of the electrical field the discharge tips are exposed to such heavy concentrated charges and emission that the hazard of flashovers is increased. Also, these tips are exposed to electrostatic erosion and thereby are frequently burned away. I have invented an improved discharge electrode which avoids the above-noted limitations of the prior art electrodes.